Bryan Dobson returns to Irish TV screens tonight following retirement with new documentary

Veteran RTÉ presenter Bryan Dobson will make a return to Irish TV screens tonight for the first time since his retirement in May with a new documentary.

A journalist and broadcaster with RTÉ for 37 years, the 65-year-old has presented all of RTÉ's flagship news programmes across television and radio during his career and anchored RTÉ's television coverage of elections and special State events.

The Dublin native retired from the national broadcaster in May having joined RTÉ in 1987 as a reporter with the RTÉ Radio 1 This Week programme. Later that year he was appointed RTÉ’s Business Correspondent and in 1991 he became presenter of RTÉ One O’Clock News, later moving to present the Nine O’Clock News programme before being appointed anchor of the Six One News in 1996.

He spent 21 years at the flagship programme, before moving to be part of the presenting team on Morning Ireland in 2017, the most listened to radio programme in Ireland.

Now, Dobbo will return to screen tonight when he narrates Around My Island, a documentary following Irish solo sailor Tom Dolan's endeavours to be the fastest person to sail single-handed around the island of Ireland – one of the toughest feats in sailing.

Around My Island introduces viewers to Tom and the people who know him best to understand his remarkable, if unusual, rise from a farm in Meath to the top of the sport of sailing.Viewers will also meet Ireland’s triple world record holder, Pam Lee, who smashed the double-handed record for sailing the unpredictable and perilous route around 700 nautical miles of Ireland’s spectacular coastline.

As the documentary delves deeper into Tom’s story, we hear of the childhood trauma that motivated him to chase success in his sport and in his life. Leading performance psychologist, Gerry Hussey gives his insight into what drives Tom, in a sport that pushes people to the brink, testing themselves against the elements, often leading to moments on the edge of living.

Around My Island airs on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player tonight, Tuesday, August 6 at 9.35pm.